Hose clamp



Dec. 23, 1952 J w, SCHUKRAFT 2,622,290

HOSE CLAMP Filed June 12, 1950 -9 FIG. 3

@Q 20 FIG. 4

A Y INVENTOR' JOHN W. SCHUKRAFT ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1952 s HOSECLAMP John W. Schukraft, Towson, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, toRandall Corporation. Arbutus, Md., a corporation of Maryland ApplicationJune 12, 195i Serial No. 167,610

' 6Claims. (one-19) I The present inventionrelates to a clamping deviceand more particularly to a clampingpnit of substantially universalapplication adapted to apply an embracing pressure to hose or the likeof greatly varying diameter.

The present invention contemplates yet more specifically a hose clampcomprising a strap or other. elongated gripping member in combinationwith a positively acting locking means for drawing the strapincreasinglly tight about the embraced member. 7

It is an object of the present invention to make a clamp construction ofthe foregoing type" substantially distinct from the prior art frictionalclamping means by providingin addition tothe usualreverse bend in thevariable length end of the strap, a step-shaped bend in the strap topositively lock the strap in the holding member. To. this end, theinvention provides a 'J-shaped body member having an upstanding flangeabout which one end of the strap is snubbed by a clamp member which isforced down against the strap to. form the step therein between theflange and the clamping member. There is thus accomplished a lockinghold which is substantially shake-proof as compared'with theconventional frictional single bend clamping structure. -With thisinvention it is possible to use more flexible straps because of theadditional bend formed therein which positively prevents slippage of thestrap.' 1 Other. advantages and objects of the present invention will beapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the clamping devicej-of the inventionapplied to a hose for clamping it to an internal tubular support;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partially broken side elevational view prior to theapplication of the hose clamp.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure3.

In the drawings the same numerals refer to the same parts throughout theseveral views.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown a hose clamp l constructed in accordancewith the principles of this invention attaching a hose 2 to a pipe 3.The hose clamp comprises a strap 4 and a locking unit 5. The strap 4 ispreferably an elongated band of flexible, somewhat resilient materialsuch as steel of uniform lateral width capable of being drawn forcefullyabout a hose.

The locking unit comprises a bracket 6 of J 1 2 shape having a plate orclamp member I mounted loosely thereon for cooperation with a flangedplate or jaw 8 carried by tightening screw 9. The back member or longleg ll] of the bracket has a threaded opening ll receiving the screw 9and it extends upwardly at substantially right angles to the base 12 ofthe bracket at the rear end thereof. At the forward end of the bracketbase I2 is an upstanding flange or projection l3, the short leg of theJ, of height approximately equal to the combined thickness of strap 4and clamp member I so that the flanged jaw 8 may ride over the flange [3in tightening the clamp. The base I2 has a central rectangular slot [4for receiving the ends of the strap.

The clamp member I comprises a flat generally rectangular plate havingarear relatively narrow slot 15 slightly wider than the thickness of.the back member lflwhich itvreceives therethrough; The plate! thus restson the rear end of the base l2 and can actually pivot or slide about thecurved juncture 16 between the back member- Ill and base portion l2limited by the position of the jaw 8 as indicated in Figure 3 in dottedoutline. A forward rectangular slot ll of the clamp mem-- her 1 issubstantially coextensive with the central slot M of the .J -shapedbracket.

After the clamp member or plate is assembled on the bracket, the screw 9is threaded through the opening II and the'flanged plate or jaw 8 isfixed on the extension [8 of the'screw by heading over the outerextremity of the extension as indicated at IS. The jaw 8 preferably hasa backwardly extending flange 20 at its lower end of width somewhatgreater than the width of the strap and slots [4 and I1, so that it mustslide on top of clamp member or plate 1.

Prior to assembling the flanged plate or jaw 8 on the extension l8, oneend 2| of the strap is fixed to the jaw 8, preferably by folding thestrap end over the top edge of the jaw and down to the flange on therear side of the jaw, forming a jaw, or squeezing or wedging member, theextension I8 thus extending twice through the strap end 2 I to hold itsecurely thereon.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the strap extends downwardly through slotsl4 and I1 and around hose 2 and then back through slot l4 and underclamp member I, and over flange or shorter leg I 3, the opposite freeend 22 of the strap lying along the adjacent strap portion on the hose.Preferably for all size hose to be clamped there will be an end portion22 extending through the clamp bracket base slot, by which the strap canbe pulled tightly on the hose before the screw 9 is advanced. As thescrew is now tightened the strap is still further pulled against thehose and the flanged plate or jaw 8 presses on the plate or clamp memberI through the strap end 2I therearound to bend the strap adjacent end 22reversely to the original bend 23 of the strap about the bracket base,as indicated by reference numeral 24. The bend 24 tends toward a stepshape as the screw is advanced and the clamp plate is forced downwardlytoward the juncture of flange I3 and the base portion I2. Thus a secureshakeproof locking of the strap is accomplished, which locking action issubstantially independent of the flexibility or thickness of the strapas compared with the simple reverse bend 'which'requires an excessivelystiff band to prevent slipping.

As the screw is even further advanced be yond the position shown inFigure 2, the flange 20 rides across the plate or clamp member] andflange I3 and along-the strap end 22, the portion of the strap adjacentend 2| I serving to securely hold the clamp member I lockedsubstantially flat against the base portion I2 withan almost perfectstep in the strap 4. The flange 20 further presses end 22 into a secondstep against the top of flange I3 and frictionally holds the strap inthis position. Thus actually a double step as well as a reverse bend isultimately formed in the strap.

It is apparent that various changes may be made in the foregoingspecific embodiment without departing from the invention, thatembodiment being shown for purposes of illustration.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patentis:

1.-A clamping device comprising a strap, an L-shaped bracket having aslot in its base parallel to its back, a tensioning screw passingthrough a threaded aperture in the back, di-' rected across andsubstantially parallel to its base, .a jaw pivotally ailixed to the .endof the screw extending over the bracket base, and a plate pivotallyaffixed to the bracket substantially parallel to its base and having aslot therein aligned with the base slot, the screw jaw passing over theplate upon tightening the screw, the strap at one end being afiixed tothe jaw andpassing through the slots, and at its'free end, passingthrough the slot in the bracket and then between the bracket and, plate,the jaw forcing the plate against the strap on the extension of thescrew across the bracket, to

hold the strap between the plate and bracket base.

2. A clamping device comprising a strap, a J-shaped bracket having atransverse slot in its base, a tensioning screw passing through athreaded aperture in its long leg directed across its base toward theshort leg of the bracket, a jaw pivotally aflixed to the end of thescrew between the bracket legs, and a plate pivotally affixed to thebracket adjacent the long leg and lying parallel to the bracket basebetween the bracket legs, and having a slot therein aligned with that inthe bracket, the strap being affixed at one endto the jaw and passingthrough said slots, and then between the bracket and plate, the jawforcing the plate against the strap on the extension of the screw acrossthe bracket, the plate bending the strap against the short leg of thebracket, to hold the strap end in the bracket firmly. Y

. 3.'A clamping device as claimed in claim 2 in which the base of the Jbracket is plane and the plate at its free end lies adjacent the shortleg of the bracket, whereby pressure on the plate exerted by the jawbends the strap to substantially a right angle.

4. A clamping device as claimed in claim '2 in which the plate has asecond slot therein,

parallel to the slot through which the strap jaws and to give a furtherbend to the strap be. tween said tip and plate edge, upon the furtherextension of the screw.

6. A .clamping'device'as claimed in claim 2 in which the base of thebracket lies in a plane and the screw extends parallel to that plane.

JOHN W. SCHUKRAFT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of reccrdinthe file ofthis patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Name Date Lopdell Apr. 11, 1922 Number

